In with the New
by Little Bit1
Summary: A girl joins the group (uh-oh). It follows her trials and tribulations. Last chapter is up!!. Jack, Race, and Spot fans will like this (I hope).
1. The Begining

*Disclaimer Thingy* All of the newsies aside from Bit belong to whoever   
Disney has decided owns them. Little Bit/Emily and Mama are mine. ALL   
OTHERS ARE PROPERTY OF DISNEY.   
  
Author's note: This is my first stab at a fanfic, so I want to get better.   
Be merciless in your reviews if you want; it'll help me.  
  
  
In With the New  
CHAPTER 1:  
I was on my way home from the church when it happened. These two boys saw me, in my pretty   
Easter sundress. It was my holiday best, but they thought more of it. Figured I had more   
money than I was worth. My mother had given me a penny for a paper and a little more for   
some bread and milk from the store; she went home and I went through a darkened ally. The   
ally was in a less populated part of Manhattan, and the store was just on the other side.   
I never saw them coming. They told me to give them my money, the voices so familiar, but I   
couldn't. It was for our food. The food had to last a week. We couldn't afford-  
It was so quick. They lunged at me from behind, knife in hand. I tried to fight them off.   
It was hard, but I managed to get away with just a slash across my arm.   
*~~*  
I walked into the factory Monday, knowing it was my last day. My bandaged right arm, hanging   
from a sling, was shaking from fear as I walked into the overseer's office. It was over. I   
was no use to them with only one upper limb. The man said once it was healed, perhaps there   
would be a job left, but there were no promises.  
I went home with my head hung as limp as my arm. I was ashamed. What was I going to tell my   
mother? I was all she had. Father died a month before I was born from a fever. My mother   
worked as an attendant to a beautiful performer named Medda Larkson. I stopped by Medda's   
on my way home to see my mother and tell her the bad news we both dreaded.  
"Well Emily, I suppose there's nothing we can do but wait. We'll have to be careful about   
spending, but we can manage." My mother was always optimistic.   
"No mama. I know what I have to do. It won't be that bad. I promise." I was going to sell   
papes. I'd seen Jack do it plenty of times. I'd spent many of my Sundays off helping him-when   
I wasn't being attacked.  
Jack Kelly was one of my best friends. I met him one day when he came in to see Medda. We   
were about the same age. We had nothing in common, and we always bickered, but we had fun   
nonetheless.   
"Honey, you know it'll be tough. Jack may help you, but the others, they might not be so   
friendly."  
"Mama, we're like family. All of us. No worries, okay?" My mother made that face that said   
"you're gonna get hurt, but go ahead," and I just smiled and walked out into the streets of   
Manhattan.  
*~~*  
I saw Racetrack walking towards me and I tried to stride in the other direction. I didn't   
want him to know my new working arrangements (or at least my plans) until I had Jack to back   
me up.  
"Bit! Hey, Bitty, wait up!" He hollered calling me by the nickname Jack had given me. I was   
Little Bit. Being a girl, all the newsies thought I was there little sister (except the   
younger boys, of course), so Jack started calling me Little Bit, and then Bit for short.  
"Oh, hey Race. Didn't see ya there."  
"Didn't see me theah? What awe you blind? I was runnin' aftah ya. What happened to ya awm?"  
"Oh, I was-these guys, they...um..."  
"Does it hoit?"  
"No. It's fine now."  
"Who did this to ya? Was it dem Delanceys?"  
"I didn't see."  
"Oh. So why ain't you at woik?"  
"Are you blind?"  
"Oh. Right. What awe you gonna do now?"  
"I don't know. Have you seen Jack?"  
"He's ovah by Central Pawk."  
"Thanks Race." I said, and I made my way to the greens.  
*~~*  
"Hey cowboy." I said to a tall young man with brown hair, about ear length.  
"Bit, hey! What happen' ta you? Who done this to ya? Huh?" He asked, getting all protective.   
"I don't know really. I didn't see them that well. But I'm okay now so don't worry about it.   
Look, I need some help."  
"Help. Like what kinda help?"  
"Like help me get started sellin' papes."  
"What? Awe you outta you'we mind? You'ra goil. You know dat, right?"  
"Listen, it's the only thing I can do to keep money coming into my house. I have to. I'm   
doing it no matter what, but I'd sure like it if you helped me." I smiled at him, and he   
was mine.  
"Awrigh', but it's gonna be hawd. The guys ain't gonna like it."  
"Well, that's too bad."  
"Hey sweet face." I heard a slimey voice say from behind me. That voice. I froze.  
"Oscah, get outta heah." Jack said.  
"Oh, or what? Come on. What are you gonna do?" The voice scoffed. Jack made a fist   
and BAM. Oscar Delancey fell forward, and I saw him. The same figure in the ally, but I kept   
my mouth shut. Jack had enough hatred for the Delancey Brothers. "Just who do you think you   
are!?" Oscar yelled.  
"I'm a cowboy, and you're a pansy! Now get out of heah!"  
*~~*  
It was about ten o'clock when we got to the Lodging House.  
"Hey Mistah Kloppman." Jack said. Mr. Kloppman was the old man that ran the bording   
house. He was kind and always watched out for the boys. He was like the grandfather they   
always wanted.  
"Hey Jack. What's this? A girl? No girls Jack."  
"Oh, this ain't a goil. It's jest Bit. Anyway, she's leavin' in a couple a minutes.   
We jest gotta tawk to the boys."  
"Alright, but I'm counting the seconds."  
"You do dat." And we walked upstairs.  
"Hey boys, get decent!" I yelled at the door as Jack walked in. I stood outside   
waiting for the all clear. I could hear the sounds of voices, most agitated at the thought   
of a "goil" in their room.  
"Jack, you brought a goil?" "Jack, we ain't ready fah no goils in heah." "Cowboy,   
how could ya?"  
"It's not a girl. It's just me." I yelled from the other side.  
"It's jest Bit, you guys. C'mon."  
"Awrigh' cowboy, but jest dis once." I heard Race say. I walked in to see many   
faces of multiple ages stare back at me.  
"Uh...hey?" I say, wavering.  
"Awrigh', let's get down to business heah. You all see Bit's awm. She ain't woikin'   
at the factry no mowah, so she's gonna stawt sellin' papes wit us. Anyone gotta problem wit dat?"   
Jack was basically the leader, so most of the time the boys followed him, but I could see there   
would be more to it this time.  
"Awe, c'mon Jack." I heard Snipeshooter say. "Dat ain't fayah." Blink yelled. "Boy   
I saw dis comin'." Said Race.  
"Look, look," Jack was trying to calm everybody down. "Little Bit heah is ouwa friend,   
right?" A lot of yes'. "An' we don' want her stawvin' on da street right?" A lot of no's.   
"Okay, look. It's only gonna be temporary, so why not let her give it a try till her awm gets   
bettah?" There was silence.  
"Look, it'll only be a little while, I promise, but there's nothing else I can do."   
I pleaded.  
"Look, I say, if Jack says it's good, it's prolly good right? So let's let her, and   
shut up about it befoah the two-a-dem soak us." Race was always a good friend, I thought to   
myself, and the next day I started my newsie era.   
  



	2. Goodbye

CHAPTER 2:  
"Mama? Mama, I'm home!" It was about ten-thirty when I got home, so I didn't really   
expect her to be there yet. Working for Medda kept her out until about one every night.  
"Emily? You're home. Good." I heard a voice say. It wasn't my mother.  
"Miss Larkson, what are you doing here." Being my mother's employer, Medda didn't   
come by the house very often for social visits. I refer to her as Medda only because that's   
what my mother called her, but to be polite I was always to address her as Miss Larkson.  
"Oh hun, there was an accident."  
"Excuse me?"  
"It was at the theatre. A little bit of a riot broke out. I asked your mother to   
help me calm the crowds, and then there were a few gunshots from the crowds. A few drunken   
men were arrested...but, honey...your mother. She was..." She trailed off, and started to   
sob. I knew what she was trying to tell me. My mother was hit.   
"Is she okay? Is my mama okay? Tell me!" I was nonsensical. My head was spinning   
and nothing was making sense. I saw Toby, another one of Medda's helpers, come out of the   
shadows.  
"Basically, child, she didn't make it. It was too late when the doctor finally arrived.   
I'm sorry." He explained.  
"She's DEAD?!?!" I screamed and ran out of my house. I ran into the street and in   
front of a carriage. The horses stopped before a collision.  
"Get out of the street child!" I heard Toby yell, but I kept running. I ran all the   
way to the Brooklyn Bridge. So many people find it scary there, what with Spot's newsies and   
all, but I find it serene almost. Spot was a very territorial kind of guy, but he wasn't so   
bad once you got to know him.  
I stood on the bridge, not crying, not shaking, not feeling anything. I was empty.   
I had the newsies, yeah, they were my friends, but my mother...my mother was my only family.   
My mama. I didn't know my father's family because they didn't approve of my mother. My mama   
was an only child, like me, and her parents died in a fire when I was four. I was all alone,   
and with no money.  
"So I heah you wanna be a newsie." I heard a Brooklyn accent say.  
"Not now Spot. Anytime but now."  
"Look, I ain't got nuthin' against goils, but when they wanna sell papes, and I knows   
they can sell papes bettah than me, I get a little noivis. You know?" I didn't answer him.   
I just looked over the bridge and hoped he'd go away, but no such luck. Spot Conlon never did.   
"Little Bit? Dat is you right? I'd hate to be out heah talkin' to a strangah about what makes   
Spot Conlon noivis. It ain't good foh da reputation."  
"Yeah it's me."  
"Den why ain't you tawkin'?"  
"I don't want to Spot. I'll see ya later." I started to walk back to Manahattan.  
"Look, it's late and your in a bad pawt a da neighbahood. Want me to walk you home?"  
"I don't have a place to go."  
"Why not?"  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
"You get in a fight wit ya ma?"  
"No."  
"Ya house boin down?"  
"No."  
"Den what?"  
"I dunno."  
"You want me ta walk wit ya? Just walk?"  
"Okay." So we walked, in silence mostly, until the sun came up. We walked from   
Brooklyn to Manhattan, and everywhere in between.   
We reached the Lodging House where I had told Jack I'd meet him in the morning. The agreement   
of my selling papes seemed so long ago. I guess with what happened and staying up all night,   
it can do that to you. I wasn't ready to start a new day. I had a funeral to plan and bording   
to figure out, but before I could walk away, Jack was outside.  
"You look dead," was the first thing he said to me. I finally broke down.  
"She ain't tawked much ewall night. Now dis. Somethin' ain't right heah, Jackey-boy."   
Spot told him. "You try and get somethin' outta her. See ya later Bit." And he walked back   
to Brooklyn.  
"Was it somethin' I said?" Jack asked. We walked to the distribution place, and Jack   
got his papes from Weasel, the Delancey Brothers' uncle. He sat down on the steps with his   
papes in one hand and patted the ground next to him with his other hand, making the motion for   
me to sit. "What happen' las' night? You was ewall excited about sellin' papes, and today I   
see you walkin' wit Spot, and you ain't slept at ewall. What's wrong?"   
"Well first of all, Oscar screwed up my arm, and my mother died, and I have no place   
to live anymore because I can't afford rent since my mama..." I cried some more.  
"Oscar did dis to ya? Race said he didn't."  
"I didn't think so, but I recognized his voice, and..." I couldn't seem to finish a   
sentence today.  
"Wait, wait, wait. What happened to ya ma?"  
"I don't know. Something about a riot, and a gunshot. I couldn't really hear anything   
Medda or Toby were telling me. It's all a blur. It's just, everything's falling apart. But   
you can't tell anyone. I'm not helpless. I can fix this. I don't know how, but I can." I   
stopped crying and soon the other boys were getting their morning papes.  
"I think they's gonna figure out what happen' to ya ma at the funeral."  
"Oh. Right. Well, you tell them. I have to go."  
"Awrigh'."   
"Thanks cowboy." I walked off to Medda's place.  
  



	3. The Lodging House

CHAPTER 3:  
Medda let me stay with her for a few days. We didn't talk. I think she felt   
responsible for what happened to my mother, and she should have. My mama was her attendant,   
not security. She had no business asking a woman, who had a child to support, to help stop   
a riot. She really didn't.  
The funeral was nice. It seemed long and drawn out though. I was asked to give a   
eulogy, which was very hard. I made it through though, and when it was all over, the boys   
and I went to Tibby's. Brian Denton, the man who helped the boys get their strike out to   
the public the year before, paid for all of the food. I thought that was very generous since   
I hardly knew him, but he said any friend of the boys was a friend of his, and he helps friends   
when they need it.   
It was a shame though, because I wasn't very hungry. I wasn't very anything actually.   
Everyone kept telling me how sorry they were, and asked if they could help. Jack sat by my side   
the whole day, and when night finally came and we were asked to leave; I finally talked to him.  
"Jack, I know Medda is your friend and everything, but I can't stay there anymore. The   
woman gets to me. So I don't know where I'll be for the next couple of days, but I'll let you   
know." I told him.  
"Ya comin' home wit us." He said.  
"Jack, I can't. I don't want to impose. I'll be fine."  
"No. No you won't be, Bit. You need us, okay? So no, ya comin'." With no other   
option but Medda's, the Lodging House was really all I had.  
All of the newsies left to get to bed, but Jack and I took a stroll around Central Park. He didn't ask me about my mama, or anything else. We just talked about our fantasies, and our wishes. I told him I just wanted to be happy, maybe own a bookstore, and he told me about his dreams of owning a ranch. We'd had this conversation a million times before, and it was a nice reminder of my happier days.  
We got back to the lodging house around eleven that night, and when I saw Mr. Kloppman, he   
just looked at me with that sad face, and he tried to make a smile, but it wouldn't come.   
I whispered a "thank you" as I walked up the stairs.  
I entered the room, and a gust of sadness hit me. As I looked around at the bunkbeds, I noticed   
that not one boy was asleep. They all stared at me as I walked across the apartment to the   
washroom. I closed the door, turned on the water so no one could hear me and started to cry.   
After about five minutes, I splashed my face, and turned the water off. When I walked out of   
the washroom, Jack took my arm and led me to a bunk near the window. He took the bunk above   
it. I would have to thank whoever normally slept there tomorrow.  
No one said a word, and when I got underneath my covers, the lights went out.   
I tossed and turned all night, not knowing what lay ahead of me. I didn't think I could   
stay here; it was a boys' Lodging House. I couldn't go back to Medda's, and whenever I passed   
the theatre I even shuddered a little bit.   
I finally got out of bed and went to the fire escape. It was such a nice night out. Surpris-  
ingly, it had not rained that day, even though it always seemed to in New York. I walked up to   
the roof top and sat there for the rest of the night. I was only half-conscious when I heard   
voices the next morning. It sounded like the boys were searching for me.  
"Wheah d'ja think she coulda gone, Jack?" I heard Crutchy ask. Poor Crutchy. He had   
a bad foot since he could remember, but somehow he always seemed to lighten up a situation,   
without a care about his own handicap. He reminded me of my mother that way.  
"I dunno Crutchy, but we gotta find huh befoah she hoits huhself."  
"I'm fine. I'm here. Sorry for the disturbance. Can't a girl just watch the sun come   
up without people thinking she went and offed herself?" I made my appearance back through the   
window, and sat down on the bunk that was allotted to me the night before.  
"We was just worried, that's ewall." I heard Specs say.  
"Well I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me every dang second. I can take care   
of myself." I got up, went to the washroom and got ready for a day of selling papes-my first day.  
  



	4. The Challenge

CHAPTER 4:  
"Hey Mistah Weezel. This heah's me friend. She's gonna be sellin' papes wit us foah   
a while. So you be nice ta huh, or I tell the big boys, and you'll be lookin' foah a job like   
last summah." Jack told a short, very round man. He looked about fifty to me. I'd heard   
stories about the trouble that he'd given my newsie friends, and I didn't like him already.  
"Fifty papes please." I asked and Morris came out of the shadows to hand them to   
me. I ran behind Jack, and I heard one of my attackers give a maniacal laugh. Weasel hit   
him upside the head.   
"Hundred papes." Jack said. He got his papes and said: "C'mon. Les get outta heah.   
This place is infested with rodents." Morris tried to grab Jack through the bars, but the   
idiot forgot that he was too big and his arm got stuck. Oscar ran around to the outside, and   
Jack and I handed our papes to some of the other newsies and started running. Jack thought it   
was a game, but I was scared. Jack was running so blindly that he collided with a boy, about  
the same age as us, with dark curly hair.   
"What do you think you're doing?" The boy asked.  
"Runnin'!" Jack replied. The curly hair boy laughed and turned around to see Oscar   
and Morris catching up with us.   
"Go, I'll stop 'em." So we did. We didn't run far, just enough to get out of sight   
for a few minutes, but we could see the three boys from where we were, and Curly was doing a   
good job at holding them back. He was telling them really corny jokes, and I could see the   
brothers were getting annoyed. Suddenly I heard Weasel yell for them to get back to the center   
and help count. We were saved.  
"Hey Davey." Jack said as he shook hands with the boy who helped us. "Tanks fah doin'   
dat. Dat was real nice."  
"Yeah thanks." I chimed in. I had heard of David Jacobs. He joined the newsies about   
the same time the strike started last summer. Jack said he was "a real inspahration." I never   
met him because I usually worked during the day, and by the time I got around to seeing the   
boys, he and his little brother, Les, had gone home. "So this is the famous David Jacobs.   
I've heard so much about you."  
"And you are?" He asked.  
"Oh me? I'm Bit. Little Bit. Been with the boys since I can remember."  
"I've never seen you selling papes with them before."  
"Well I wasn't technically a newsie back then, but I knew 'em all." He smiled. It was   
that kind of smile that made you feel like you knew him all your life. I could tell he was a   
genuinely nice guy, which was good, since they were hard to come by.  
Jack dated David's sister, Sarah until Christmas last year. She didn't like the way he   
always got into fights. She said he was "clumsy with his character." He was heartbroken for a   
little while, but he got over it.  
She met a boy, in late January, named Thomas Peters. They got married in March--it was   
a spur of the moment thing--and moved off to Albany. I don't think I'll miss her much.  
We all walked back to the distribution center, but stayed out of sight, and called for   
the boys we had handed our papes to to bring them to us.  
"Hey Cowboy. Havin' fun? Da days only beginin'." Race said.  
"What's dat spose ta mean?" Jack asked.  
"Dem Delanceys say dey wanna settle dis. Dey wants you to meet 'em in da ally by   
Tibby's around tree. You win, dey leave ewall of us alone fahevah. You lose, and you ain't   
sellin' papes heah no moah. Dat's what dey said, Cowboy."  
"Dat's what dey said huh? Alrigh'. Let's do dis."  
"Dere ain't no us, Cowboy. Just you an' Bit."  
"Whah do dey want wit Bit?"  
"I dunno, we ain't spose to go, and youse spose to bring Bit."  
"She ain't goin'."  
"No. Jack, c'mon. You need someone." I said.  
"You ain't getting' hoit. Not again." Jack told me.  
"Well what are you gonna do then?" I asked.  
"I dunno. Lemme tink." So he thought.   
We decided that at around two-thirty, all the newsies would get hungry and go to   
Tibby's for some food. Jack and I would leave at three, and at our signal, the boys could   
come help us out if we needed them. I was told the signal: "Bit. You gotta scream."  
It was about two-fifty-five.   
"So you gettin' scared?" I asked Jack.  
"Nah. I done dis a million times. Plus, I got you to protect me. How's ya awm?"  
"It's doin' better. It ain't there yet." We laughed. I just said "ain't."   
"We gotta get you outta dis neighbahood. Youse becomin' one a us."  
"I've always been one of you."  
"Emily, look. If sumthin' happens, I just want ya ta know: I love ya. Not like that   
mushy kinda love people get so woiked up about and broken up ovah. Just da kind dat means, you   
ain't alone."  
"I know, Jack. I love you too." He hugged me and said it was time to go.  
We walked outside, hand in hand, scared of what waited for us on the other side of the   
corner, but neither of us showing fear. We had to be strong for each other.  
"Hey, Cowboy." There was that voice again. That slimey voice. "I see you brought   
your girlfriend. Nice. Thank you. Get her." Morris ran to grab me, but I kicked him in the   
groin before he could. He started to wimper. "Alrigh', but you still got me ta deal with."  
Jack took Oscar by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. Oscar pulled out his knife,   
and in one clean swipe, he jabbed Jack in the leg. I lost it. First I screamed, then I ran up   
to him and started flailing my arms everywhere; my right arm hurt but I didn't care. I punched   
him and kicked him, and from the look on his face, I think he thought I couldn't do that. I   
managed to get his knife and told the two of them to leave us alone. Morris was still on the   
ground wimpering.  
I pulled Jack into the street and saw two police officers blocking the door of Tibby's.   
It seems there was a report of stolen bread earlier in the morning and they were questioning all   
suspicious characters. I grabbed Jack, who could just barely walk, and ran up to the police.  
"Help us. Please!" I yelled. My left forehead was bleeding from the short fight with   
Oscar and a welt had started to rise up under my left eye.  
"Oh my! Most certainly. Can you get him on my horse? I'll ride him to the hospital."   
One of the officers told me. I signaled for one of the guys to come out, and Mush answered.   
The second officer let him out, and he helped me heave Jack over. "I'm gonna go with them,   
somehow. Tell the others what happened." Mush ran back inside, and I jumped onto the second   
police officer's horse. We started to ride off when I noticed we were being followed. I saw   
it in the corner of my eye. It was Davey.  
  



	5. A New Begining

CHAPTER 5:  
About two weeks had gone by since the incident in the ally. Jack was back in the   
Lodging House, and Oscar and Morris actually had a trial. They were sent to a real correctional   
facility since the court ruled that it was attempted murder. They'll be there for a while.  
Jack was on crutches, so he tried to stay away from Crutchy during the day. Some of   
the boys joked that he just did all this for sympathy on the streets. It seemed like everything   
was getting back to normal for them. I wasn't so lucky.  
I was still dealing with being an orphan and my birthday was coming up. The boys knew   
it was on May seventh, and I heard them planning something at Medda's. I didn't want to   
celebrate though. My mother was gone, and she was the one that had actually given me my   
birthday. It didn't seem fair. I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide for a year, but the   
day finally came, and hiding wasn't and option.   
I woke up with the sun beaming against my face. The boys had let me sleep in on   
account of the day. I got up and did my morning routine as usual, and went down stairs.   
Nobody was around. I decided not to take the day off, so I went to the distribution center.   
Sure enough, all of the newsies were there. Race handed me fifty papes. Said it was his gift   
to me. He had a good day at the track yesterday, so he could afford it. I wasn't about to say   
no to free papes.  
I walked with Jack for the day. With him on crutches and me being a girl, we figured   
we could move all the papes we had that day, with none to spare. We were right. We finished   
up at around nine, and Jack said he left something at Medda's that he needed to pick up. Oh   
boy, I thought sarcastically to myself, this is it.  
We walked in through the back door. He grabbed my shoulder and I helped him up the   
stairs towards the stage.  
"Now Cowboy, what exactly did you leave here?" I asked as we stepped into the darkness   
of the theater.   
"Da boys." He answered, and the lights went up all around us. Every newsie from New   
York was there. Spot and his Brooklyn gang, I noticed, were front row, while the Manhattan boys   
took to the balconies. Some kids from Harlem and the Bronx were spread around. I knew it was   
coming, but I was still surprised at the magnitude of it all. I looked at Jack, who said, "Ya   
welcome," before I could say anything. He picked up his hands, and made a funny motion, which   
must have been a signal, because all of the boys in the entire theatre sang a rendition of the   
Birthday Song. My eyes started to well up, but I wouldn't let them see me cry. Not now. I   
just smiled and looked ahead of me.  
When they were finished, Kid Blink, Davey, Boots, and Specs carried the biggest birthday cake I   
had ever seen, up to the stage. It was brown, and kind of sloppy, with one big candle in the   
middle.  
"On'y Jack knows how old you'se is, an' he won't tell us, so we's just got ya one   
candle." Blink explained.  
"It's home made, so we're sorry about the mess." David was clarifying the matter of   
the cake. It didn't look like it was bakery made to me, but I let them think it did.  
"It's-it's wonderful. I love it." I said, looking away as the tears pressed against   
the back of my eyes, begging to burst through.  
"What'sa mattah?" Jack turned to me, the stage lights reflecting in his hazel eyes.  
"I'm just so...so happy. Excuse me." I walked out to the wings, Jack following closely.  
"Yeah ya happy. So why ya cryin'? Ain't no way you'se is dat happy from a cake."  
"It's my mama. She should be here. It's-she died here you know? And Medda..."  
"Oh jeez. I guess we ain't thought a dat. S'my fuwalt. You wanna get outta heah?"  
"Yeah."  
"Awrigh' lemme go tell de oddahs."  
*~~*  
Jack took me back to my old house. We sat on the steps and didn't say much for a while.   
He was just there for me, like he always was.  
"So you wanna tawk now?" He asked reproachful.  
"Not really."  
"Okay, dat's feah. Den I'll tawk. Look, I'm eighteen now. I ain't a kid no mowah.   
You know? I can't sell papes ewall my life. I'm leavin' soon. I'm goin' to Santa Fe like I   
ewalways said."  
"Oh, that's just what I need to hear right now. Thanks Jack. You always know what to   
say." I said sarcastically.  
"Well I ain't leavin' yet. I'm waitin' fah sumthin."  
"Mhmm. And what, pray tell, are you waiting for."  
"See I got dis friend, and dey's in a bit of a spot right now. Dey lost someone dey   
love, and dey think dey's life is ovah. I can't leave 'em high and dry like dat."  
"I see."  
"And plus, well I kinda like dis friend, and I ain't in da habit of liken my friends,   
if ya know what I'm sayin', so I wanna stay a little while and see how it all toins out. Then   
I'm leavin'."  
"You gotta thing for Race?" We laughed, but somehow I felt another chapter of my life   
was closing at the very second, and I didn't want to turn the page to the next one yet.  
"You know what I'm tryin' to say heah. You tryin' ta make dis hawd, ain't ya?"  
"Like always."  
"Come wit me?"  
"What? Are you mad?"  
"You'se is sixteen now, and you'se ain't gonna be sellin' papes soon. Ya promised   
ya'd leave when ya awm was healed. It ain't lookin' too bad now."  
"Fine. But Santa Fe?"  
"Look, I'm goin', but I'd suah like it if you'd come wit me." I frowned. "Awrigh',   
how 'bout dis: marry me. I mean, I ain't got a ring or nuthin', but..."  
I sat there dumbfounded for a minute, not knowing what to say at all. This was my best friend   
in the entire world, but I wasn't sure if I *loved* him. I had to say something fast, or lose   
him forever.  
"Emily?" That was it. He called me by my name when we were alone sometimes, but this   
was different.  
"Jack, let me think about it okay? I can't just jump in and be a wife in a night's   
time. This is a life-"  
"I undahstand. You wanna head back to Medda's?"  
"Okay." I helped him up, and we started back.  
*~~*  
"Hi huns." I heard Medda say as we walked back into the birthday arena. "And just   
what were the two of you doing out so late?"  
"Just goin' fah a walk, Medda."  
"I'm sure that's all, Kelly."  
"What are you insinuating, Miss Larkson? We went for a walk, and whatever happened   
during that walk-" I stopped in a realization. "You told her. You told her didn't you?" I   
was infuriated. "No. I bet she suggested it." I turned to her. "Didn't you. You think if he   
proposes...if I get married, well then that just fixes everything right? I'm sorry lady, but you   
can't fix my life. You can't fill in that hole where my mother was. You took her from me, and   
you...you..." I started to cry so hard, it became difficult to breathe. I was not a pretty sight.   
"I'm sorry. What was that honey? I wasn't trying to do anything." She looked to Jack.   
"You proposed to her?" She whispered.  
"Yeah, well I tried. You know." Jack answered, shrugging his shoulders.  
"What...you didn't know?" I looked up to see quite a few familiar faces gathered around,   
looking completely confused. Skittery, Blink, and Spot started talking at once.  
"Jackey-boy's getting' married?" "Why didn' you tell us?" "You gonna be an ol' man?"  
"Will you all stawp tawking. She ain't ansahed yet, and besides, it ain't no one's   
business but ouah's. C'mon Bit, les go."  
"I'm not going. I'll...I'll see you guys later." I ran out the door and didn't look   
back. I ran down to the Brooklyn Bridge, and looked out over the river-my little piece of   
heaven. I stood there for what felt like the better half of an hour, when I saw a familiar   
lanky figure walking towards me. He took off his cap and let his blonde, chin length hair   
flow freely.  
"Nevah feeah, Brooklyn is heah." I didn't respond, so he tried again. "So ya like   
Jackey-boy ah what?"  
"Spot,"  
"Yeah?"  
"You don't know when to shut up do you?"  
"Nope."  
"Then tell me, what should I do?"  
"Well, he likes ya,"  
"Yeah."  
"And you like him?"  
"Yeah."  
"Ya love him?"  
"Yeah. I mean-"  
"Den marry da fella befoah I toin gray."  
"Thanks."  
"And, look Bit. About Medda. She ain't meant fah ya ma ta get hoit. It was a accident."  
"I know. I'll talk to her in the morning." And then we just stood there.   
The Brooklyn boys started showing up about a half an hour later. One of them muttered   
something about "a damn fine cake." Spot walked me home again.  
"Seems like we do dis a little too often fah da Cowboy's liken'." Spot said as he   
gestured to the window where a tall figure seemed to be peering out.  
"He'll get over it."  
"You gonna be okay?"  
"I think so."   
"Bit, I gotta request."  
"What's that?"  
"Can I give ya away?"  
"Sure." I walked into the Lodging house and greeted Mr. Kloppman. As I started up   
stairs I heard a door slam and the floorboards started to creek. I saw Jack standing at the   
top, and I ran up to him. He leaned over, hugged me, and told me I had a lot of explaining to   
do for the boys.  
I walked in and all of the hussle and bussle stopped. They all stared at me. I didn't know   
whether they were angry at me for leaving their fine party, confused about the proposal, or   
about Medda.   
Skittery stood up from his bed, picked something up and hid it behind his back. He walked   
towards me, with a clumsy grin on his face and handed me a plate, with a home made piece of   
cake on it.   
"We saved dis fah ya." He said. Jack took it from me, picked the cake up with his   
hand, and threw it in my face. I knew all was forgiven. All the boys started throwing pillows   
at me, and laughing. I fought back, and somehow we all formed two teams. The pillow fight   
lasted all night. There was a time, I'm not sure when, but I was standing next to Jack and the   
whole world seemed to stop for a moment. He looked at me smiling.  
"What?" He asked.  
"Yes."  
"What?"   
"I said 'yes,' stupid."  
"Aw you-? Ya mean-? Hey fella's! We's gettin' married!!" All the boys stopped for a   
second.   
"Bit and Cowboy? I knew it. Coulda made five bucks." I heard Race say, so I threw a   
pillow at him. All the ruckus started again.  
  



	6. The Wedding

CHAPTER 6:  
All of the commotion of the coming wedding made the next month go by   
so quickly. David was going to be the best man, Les the ring boy. Spot, as   
I promised him, would give me away. I had no real girl friends, so Race   
would be my bachelor-of-honor. We decided to get married at the Tibby's   
because, we really had no where else. Old Joe ran an announcement in the   
World. I think he was glad Jack was getting married, because once we left,   
he could raise the price of the papes again. I don't think he realized he   
had to deal with Davey, the "inspahration."  
The day of the wedding was a burst of emotion. I was sad, knowing   
my mother wouldn't be there, scared at the thought of growing up, mournful   
knowing I was leaving my family for Santa Fe, but mostly blissful realizing   
I was about to start a new life with Jack, the man I'd grown to love.  
We were poor, so we got a nice priest to perform a simple ceremony   
for free, and Tibby, the namesake of our restaurant hangout gave us food on   
the house. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. I found my   
mother's wedding dress in one of the boxes I kept from my house. It was a   
plain white dress, but it suited me. Mr. Kloppman let Jack borrow an old tux   
he had. He didn't tell us where it was from, but we didn't care. Jack was   
as handsome as ever. All the newsies were dressed in their best outfits,   
which basically meant they cleaned their everyday clothes.  
We said tradition vows, and it was nice and simple. Jack didn't   
want to have to remember anything, so he couldn't forget it later and ruin   
the day. Those words. Those magical word. "I do."   
And then came the best part, in my personal opinion (and I think   
Jack's too): "You may now kiss the bride." His lips touched mine and it   
sealed our enchanted fate. We were forever bonded.  
When the ceremony was over we stayed for food until the sin went   
down. We said our goodbyes and made promises to write. I could swear I saw   
a tear or two in Race's eye, and Spot didn't say anything much. Mush just   
hid in the corner, afraid to bid a farewell. He was an idealist. He thought,   
if he didn't say goodbye, then we wouldn't leave. Everyone else was all   
hugs and handshakes. Medda told me if I ever came back I had a free room   
with her.   
Then we got into the carriage Denton bought us as a wedding gift, and we   
rode southwest.  
  



End file.
